"By better understanding the role of dopamine in humans and how temperament types and personality traits can be driven biochemically, we can glean insight into personality and psychological disorders, Depue suggests. "There is now overwhelming evidence that 50 to 70 percent of individual variation in personality trait scores, for example, is related to genetic influence," he said.

He also points out that some research suggests that low levels of serotonin, which can result in irritability and volatile emotions, also may make people more responsive to dopamine. These people, therefore, may be more susceptible to drugs that activate the dopamine system, such as cocaine, alcohol, amphetamine and, to a lesser extent, opiates and nicotine. One theory is that different dopamine receptors in the brain may be related to different types of abuse and that people who have particularly low dopamine functioning may be more susceptible to depression and Parkinson's disease. "